Together the the members of wiki4Walden developed a resource page of various sites all focused on incorporating technology in the classroom and/or the benefits of incorporating technology in education. We have also provided a description and rating criteria to aid in quick and easy searching. Enjoy! :-)
Classroom teacher, Richard Byrne, will post a tremendous amount of great information for teachers on new emerging technologies as well as updates, tips and trick, and applications of some of the most used technologies available for the classroom teacher of today.
Criteria: This blog (as well as the entire website) is a great resource. The content is not only valid, but it is useful, relevant, and focused.
This website is filled with a wide variety of teacher resources for using technology and addressing everything from professional development, ELL, technology planning, and students with special needs.
Criteria: This website is filled with great content that is useful for implementing technology. The readability of the site is very clear and easy to navigate. The focus of the site is on using technology, but it is spread across a wide variety of different educational areas that can be overwhelming for someone trying to find specific information.
This is a subscription website, but worth every penny. Dr. Avraham Kadar founded this website in 1999 to teach young children about health. Now, this website includes science, health, reading, writing, social studies, math, art, and technology for young students (K-3). Within each category are many colorful, short movies on a particular topic. Also included are quizzes and word walls. This website is curriculum based and hits our standards.
Criteria: This website is extremely easy to navigate through, has great content, every single part of the lesson is engaging and understandable to young children, and it is all done with the use of technology. It can be used as a teaching tool for a whole class lesson, or students can get on the website and choose any category to learn about on their own.
Edutopia Blog: Technology Integration (Elementary) - BLOG
Mary Beth Hertz, K-6 Computer Teacher and Technology Leader in Philadelphia, PA, blogs about issues ranging from applications to use in the classroom to how to appropriately teach students how to conduct Internet research. Mary Beth is a regular blogger on the Edutopia website.
Criteria: This website is filled with various resources and blogs. Elementary, and High School technology integration blogs are available. The website is very easy to navigate and provides easy search options.
Edutopia: Shaping Tech for the Classroom - 21st-Century Schools Need 21st-Century Technology - Blog
By Marc Prensky
http://www.edutopia.org/adopt-and-adapt-shaping-tech-for-classroom Mark Prensky wrote a great blog bout the drastic changes in technology and how best to incorporate these changes into our lessons as often as possible. The entire site contains great information about how various technology are changing society and education. The site also provides teaching resources incorporating technology by subject matter and many other useful teaching tools. Criteria: The Blog and entire website offer valid information that is focused on technology in the classroom. it is very easy to navigate and read.
ISTE is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the use of information technology to aid in learning and teaching K-12 students. This blog page covers everything from mobile learning to YouTube and video game usage to enhance learning in the 21st-century classroom.
Criteria: This website offers blogs covering many topics addressed in today's classrooms. With further browsing through the ISTE website teachers are able to become members, subscribe to their bi-monthly magazine, and register for numerous conferences. Navigation is easy and there is a plethora of information available.
Technology Integration Specialist, Kelly Tenkley, shares many ideas in the form of websites, lessons, and blogs to help educators better use technology within their classrooms.
Criteria: This blog contains many useful and current resources.
Blog of Proximal Development
http://www.teachandlearn.ca/blog/ Konrad Glogowski, PhD started this blog for a place to reflect on issues surrounding adolescent literacy, the use of technology in education, 21st century literacies, and the impact of Web 2.0 tools on literacy development. Criteria: This blog contains useful and practical information to help your students create and develop a blog, and other valuable discussions that deal with skills that are in the process of maturation.
NING - The World's Largest Platform for Creating Social Websites
http://www.ning.com/ Marc Andreessen founded this website and it was later aquired by Glam Media. It is a social networking service that users can tailor to specific group needs. Criteria: This innovative social network can be used to meet the specific needs of your classroom or faculty staff. Classroom 2.0 uses Ning to create supportive space for educators to enrich their own learning, or as a faculty lounge for educators. Teachers can set up a social network for their classroom with 100% control of the content, members data, and choose to be public or private. Content Specific Blogs/Websites
The focus of this blog is on reading and books for emerging readers. There is a separate blog for technology, information skills and general ramblings here.
Criteria: Great site for elementary teachers. Loses a star in the area navigational ease.
This site is an excellent resource for Social Studies teachers. There is a number of Supreme Court Cases that are crucial in interpreting the laws presented in the Bill of Rights. This site provides excellent lesson plans.
Criteria: This blog (as well as the entire website) is a great resource. The content is not only valid, but it is useful, relevant, and focused.
Langwitches BlogWorld language Teacher Integrating Technology
This is a blog in which a Spanish teacher shares her suggestions and experiences with verious technology based lessons. This teacher also provided detailed lesson plans that for her activities. I loved this blog because it has a great resource pages for language teachers and ELL teachers explaining the various technologies in detail and provides the entire lesson plan for several lessons incorporating great web 2.0 technology such as blogs and wikis. The only downfall is that the blog is very outdated. This entire site contains a series of blogs focused on integrating technology and 21 century skills and literacies, as well as digital storytelling. This site has many world language specific resources and information but is not limited to this subject area, many of the resources would be great for all subject areas.
Criteria: The content on this blog maintains a consistent focus and theme throughout the site. The ideas are not scattered or overwhelming. It is fairly easy to navigate and Well-written. Although this site contains valid and useful information the blog I posted lose a start because it is not currents. The information is relevant to search criteria, and consists of factual information.
New and Improved Free Rice - Teaching Community - Where teachers meet and learn
Created by Kelly Tenkeley
http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/6221-new-and-improved-free-rice Kelly Tenkeley's blog is about a great resource for educators to use when students finish their work early or as a vocabulary builder. Freerice.com incorporates various subject areas, students can enhance their skills by responding to various subject related questions. For every correct response the students earn rice for starving children. This site not only builds on students knowledge in all subject areas it gives students the added bonus of character education. There were also several other very helpful resources for teachers and students in many subject areas and on various topics. Criteria: This site is very beneficial and fun for students. It is very easy to use and students enhancing their knowledge while helping feed starving children. Students can work on this site in school or at home. It is a great resource for teachers to use as a review or when students finish their work early. It is informative, the content is valid, easy to read. Although the site has several topics they are organized neatly and clearly by topic, this makes the site easy to navigate and less overwhelming.
Wonderopolis
http://wonderopolis.org/ Their "Wonders of the Day" will help you find learning moments in everyday life with your students - tolearn something new, try out an idea, create a masterpiece, or imagine possibilities. Topics are easily searchable by clicking on the "About" page and using the categories listed on the bottom of the right sidebar. This resource could be used at many different levels.
Criteria: This is a terrific place to use for writing prompts or journal entries, as an informational resource, or when you have just ten minutes or less left in your class period, but yet want students engaged. Every day there is a new "wonder" posted with topics from truly all curricular areas.
This site contains free access to teachers to post spelling and vocabulary word lists (and their definitions) so that students of all ages can access them and play many word games. (There is an optional upgrade for premium access which allows students to take their quizzes online, and it even scores it for you!)
Criteria: This is a great resource for teachers and students. The many free games and activities allow ample practice opportunities for students. One drawback is that not all games are accessible without a membership - but it is still very useful without them.
Greg Whitby works to re-image schooling. He discusses current trends in the education field along with the many variables with which today's teachers struggle.
Criteria: This is a great site when curious about the ups and down in the trends of technology in education. The only problems lie in not knowing what information the reader will find on a daily basis and in negotiation of the site itself.
In their own words, "This site will explore our evolving understanding of the general topic of technology in education, possibilities for using tech as a tool within our classes, and ways we use it to develop our professional learning."
Two teachers have designed this site to help bring the world of technology and education together. Easy navigation and attractive format, along with very helpful, readable information make this a great resource.
A social network for those interested in Web 2.0, Social Media, and Participative Technologies in the classroom.
Criteria: The pull-down menu across the top opens up many more possibilities and links. A site for beginners to the world of Web 2.0, but you can access advanced forums as well. A 'busy' look to the main page.
A site by Michael Gorman, absolutely rich with links to Web 2.0 sites and resources, with comments and blog posts by Michael and other contributors. It received a Top 50 Education Innovator Award.
Criteria: This site could be your major resource for Web 2.0 in the classroom. The only limiting factor will be that there is not enough time to read through the vast amount of information and large number of links!
Danah Boyd/Apophenia - Making Connections Where None Previously Existed - BLOG
This site was created by Dr. Danah Boyd, who is a researcher at Microsoft Research and Harvard Law. She writes about topics having to do with children, in an intellectual and eye opening way. Criteria: This site could be used by teachers as a resource for information about bullying prevention in schools and other topics involving children.
Jennifer Malone the Director of Technology and Middle School Supervisor for Loudon County Schools in Tennessee along with other teachers put together this great blog of various different activities and lessons incorporating technology in all subject areas.
Projects to Connect Students Globally- Integrating technology in the primary Classroom On this blog there is a link to a teachers blog of her Journey with her Global Collaboration. Kathleen Morris (February 2011), shares pros and cons of her experiences with global collaboration from the beginning to its completion. This blog also contains several informative sites on incorporating global collaboration into the classroom. It also contains a blog with great second language learning resources.This site is great because it offers several technology related lessons and resources that teachers can use in their lessons. This site also provides lesson plans and suggestions on how to incorporate various suggestions.
Criteria: The information on this blog and site is very useful, and to all subject area teachers trying to incorporate new technology into their lessons. The content is valid, up to date, focused on the topics mentioned, easy to navigate, and the information is written in an easy comprehensible manner.
Teacher Materials
Teachers Pay Teachers http://www.teacherspayteachers.com This teacher-created website contains over 160,000 free and priced teacher-created materials available for download. This includes but is not limited to lesson plans, unit plans, novel studies, and the like. You can also choose from several subject areas, technology included! Criteria: A variety of subject and grade levels and activity types are available on this website. A majority of the materials are below $5--with many of the items free. Another bonus is that many of the items are available for instant download--making this website that much sweeter!
Resources for Integrating Technology in Education
Together the the members of wiki4Walden developed a resource page of various sites all focused on incorporating technology in the classroom and/or the benefits of incorporating technology in education. We have also provided a description and rating criteria to aid in quick and easy searching. Enjoy! :-)
ClassroomTechnologyFree Technology For Teacher - BLOG
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
Classroom teacher, Richard Byrne, will post a tremendous amount of great information for teachers on new emerging technologies as well as updates, tips and trick, and applications of some of the most used technologies available for the classroom teacher of today.
Criteria: This blog (as well as the entire website) is a great resource. The content is not only valid, but it is useful, relevant, and focused.
4 Teachers: Teach With Technology - WEBSITE
http://www.4teachers.org/
This website is filled with a wide variety of teacher resources for using technology and addressing everything from professional development, ELL, technology planning, and students with special needs.
Criteria: This website is filled with great content that is useful for implementing technology. The readability of the site is very clear and easy to navigate. The focus of the site is on using technology, but it is spread across a wide variety of different educational areas that can be overwhelming for someone trying to find specific information.
Brainpopjr - WEBSITE
http://www.brainpopjr.com/
This is a subscription website, but worth every penny. Dr. Avraham Kadar founded this website in 1999 to teach young children about health. Now, this website includes science, health, reading, writing, social studies, math, art, and technology for young students (K-3). Within each category are many colorful, short movies on a particular topic. Also included are quizzes and word walls. This website is curriculum based and hits our standards.
Criteria: This website is extremely easy to navigate through, has great content, every single part of the lesson is engaging and understandable to young children, and it is all done with the use of technology. It can be used as a teaching tool for a whole class lesson, or students can get on the website and choose any category to learn about on their own.Edutopia Blog: Technology Integration (Elementary) - BLOG
http://www.edutopia.org/spiralnotebook/mary-beth-hertz
Mary Beth Hertz, K-6 Computer Teacher and Technology Leader in Philadelphia, PA, blogs about issues ranging from applications to use in the classroom to how to appropriately teach students how to conduct Internet research. Mary Beth is a regular blogger on the Edutopia website.
Criteria: This website is filled with various resources and blogs. Elementary, and High School technology integration blogs are available. The website is very easy to navigate and provides easy search options.Edutopia: Shaping Tech for the Classroom - 21st-Century Schools Need 21st-Century Technology - Blog
By Marc Prensky
http://www.edutopia.org/adopt-and-adapt-shaping-tech-for-classroomMark Prensky wrote a great blog bout the drastic changes in technology and how best to incorporate these changes into our lessons as often as possible. The entire site contains great information about how various technology are changing society and education. The site also provides teaching resources incorporating technology by subject matter and many other useful teaching tools.
Criteria: The Blog and entire website offer valid information that is focused on technology in the classroom. it is very easy to navigate and read.
ISTE: International Society for Technology in Education - BLOG
http://www.iste.org/connect/iste-connects/blog.aspx
ISTE is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the use of information technology to aid in learning and teaching K-12 students. This blog page covers everything from mobile learning to YouTube and video game usage to enhance learning in the 21st-century classroom.
Criteria: This website offers blogs covering many topics addressed in today's classrooms. With further browsing through the ISTE website teachers are able to become members, subscribe to their bi-monthly magazine, and register for numerous conferences. Navigation is easy and there is a plethora of information available.iLearn Technology - BLOG
http://ilearntechnology.com/
Technology Integration Specialist, Kelly Tenkley, shares many ideas in the form of websites, lessons, and blogs to help educators better use technology within their classrooms.Criteria: This blog contains many useful and current resources.
Blog of Proximal Development
http://www.teachandlearn.ca/blog/Konrad Glogowski, PhD started this blog for a place to reflect on issues surrounding adolescent literacy, the use of technology in education, 21st century literacies, and the impact of Web 2.0 tools on literacy development.
Criteria: This blog contains useful and practical information to help your students create and develop a blog, and other valuable discussions that deal with skills that are in the process of maturation.
NING - The World's Largest Platform for Creating Social Websites
http://www.ning.com/Marc Andreessen founded this website and it was later aquired by Glam Media. It is a social networking service that users can tailor to specific group needs.
Criteria: This innovative social network can be used to meet the specific needs of your classroom or faculty staff. Classroom 2.0 uses Ning to create supportive space for educators to enrich their own learning, or as a faculty lounge for educators. Teachers can set up a social network for their classroom with 100% control of the content, members data, and choose to be public or private.
Content Specific Blogs/Websites
Amber Media Centerhttp://amberlymedia.edublogs.org
The focus of this blog is on reading and books for emerging readers. There is a separate blog for technology, information skills and general ramblings here.
Criteria: Great site for elementary teachers. Loses a star in the area navigational ease.Street Law
http://www.streetlaw.org/en/home
This site is an excellent resource for Social Studies teachers. There is a number of Supreme Court Cases that are crucial in interpreting the laws presented in the Bill of Rights. This site provides excellent lesson plans.
Criteria: This blog (as well as the entire website) is a great resource. The content is not only valid, but it is useful, relevant, and focused.Langwitches Blog World language Teacher Integrating Technology
By Silvia Tosilano November 2008
http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/11/29/world-language-teachers-integrating-technology/
This is a blog in which a Spanish teacher shares her suggestions and experiences with verious technology based lessons. This teacher also provided detailed lesson plans that for her activities. I loved this blog because it has a great resource pages for language teachers and ELL teachers explaining the various technologies in detail and provides the entire lesson plan for several lessons incorporating great web 2.0 technology such as blogs and wikis. The only downfall is that the blog is very outdated. This entire site contains a series of blogs focused on integrating technology and 21 century skills and literacies, as well as digital storytelling. This site has many world language specific resources and information but is not limited to this subject area, many of the resources would be great for all subject areas.
Criteria: The content on this blog maintains a consistent focus and theme throughout the site. The ideas are not scattered or overwhelming. It is fairly easy to navigate and Well-written. Although this site contains valid and useful information the blog I posted lose a start because it is not currents. The information is relevant to search criteria, and consists of factual information.
New and Improved Free Rice - Teaching Community - Where teachers meet and learn
Created by Kelly Tenkeley
http://teaching.monster.com/benefits/articles/6221-new-and-improved-free-riceKelly Tenkeley's blog is about a great resource for educators to use when students finish their work early or as a vocabulary builder. Freerice.com incorporates various subject areas, students can enhance their skills by responding to various subject related questions. For every correct response the students earn rice for starving children. This site not only builds on students knowledge in all subject areas it gives students the added bonus of character education. There were also several other very helpful resources for teachers and students in many subject areas and on various topics.
Criteria: This site is very beneficial and fun for students. It is very easy to use and students enhancing their knowledge while helping feed starving children. Students can work on this site in school or at home. It is a great resource for teachers to use as a review or when students finish their work early. It is informative, the content is valid, easy to read. Although the site has several topics they are organized neatly and clearly by topic, this makes the site easy to navigate and less overwhelming.
Wonderopolis
http://wonderopolis.org/Their "Wonders of the Day" will help you find learning moments in everyday life with your students - to learn something new, try out an idea, create a masterpiece, or imagine possibilities. Topics are easily searchable by clicking on the "About" page and using the categories listed on the bottom of the right sidebar. This resource could be used at many different levels.
Criteria: This is a terrific place to use for writing prompts or journal entries, as an informational resource, or when you have just ten minutes or less left in your class period, but yet want students engaged. Every day there is a new "wonder" posted with topics from truly all curricular areas.
Spelling and Vocabulary City
http://www.spellingcity.com/This site contains free access to teachers to post spelling and vocabulary word lists (and their definitions) so that students of all ages can access them and play many word games. (There is an optional upgrade for premium access which allows students to take their quizzes online, and it even scores it for you!)
Criteria: This is a great resource for teachers and students. The many free games and activities allow ample practice opportunities for students. One drawback is that not all games are accessible without a membership - but it is still very useful without them.Teacher Specific Blogs/Websites
Bluyonder
http://bluyonder.wordpress.com
Greg Whitby works to re-image schooling. He discusses current trends in the education field along with the many variables with which today's teachers struggle.
Criteria: This is a great site when curious about the ups and down in the trends of technology in education. The only problems lie in not knowing what information the reader will find on a daily basis and in negotiation of the site itself.
When Tech Met Ed
http://when-tech-met-ed.blogspot.com/
In their own words, "This site will explore our evolving understanding of the general topic of technology in education, possibilities for using tech as a tool within our classes, and ways we use it to develop our professional learning."
Two teachers have designed this site to help bring the world of technology and education together. Easy navigation and attractive format, along with very helpful, readable information make this a great resource.Classroom 2.0
http://classroom20.com
A social network for those interested in Web 2.0, Social Media, and Participative Technologies in the classroom.
Criteria: The pull-down menu across the top opens up many more possibilities and links. A site for beginners to the world of Web 2.0, but you can access advanced forums as well. A 'busy' look to the main page.21st Century Educational Technology and Learning
http://21centuryedtech.wordpress.com/
A site by Michael Gorman, absolutely rich with links to Web 2.0 sites and resources, with comments and blog posts by Michael and other contributors. It received a Top 50 Education Innovator Award.
Criteria: This site could be your major resource for Web 2.0 in the classroom. The only limiting factor will be that there is not enough time to read through the vast amount of information and large number of links!Danah Boyd/Apophenia - Making Connections Where None Previously Existed - BLOG
http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/
This site was created by Dr. Danah Boyd, who is a researcher at Microsoft Research and Harvard Law. She writes about topics having to do with children, in an intellectual and eye opening way.Criteria: This site could be used by teachers as a resource for information about bullying prevention in schools and other topics involving children.
Educational Insights - Helping Teachers Locate Technology Today
Posted by Eatonblog
http://eatoneducationalinsights.edublogs.org/category/educational-resources/foreign-language/
Jennifer Malone the Director of Technology and Middle School Supervisor for Loudon County Schools in Tennessee along with other teachers put together this great blog of various different activities and lessons incorporating technology in all subject areas.Projects to Connect Students Globally- Integrating technology in the primary Classroom
On this blog there is a link to a teachers blog of her Journey with her Global Collaboration. Kathleen Morris (February 2011), shares pros and cons of her experiences with global collaboration from the beginning to its completion. This blog also contains several informative sites on incorporating global collaboration into the classroom. It also contains a blog with great second language learning resources.This site is great because it offers several technology related lessons and resources that teachers can use in their lessons. This site also provides lesson plans and suggestions on how to incorporate various suggestions.
Criteria: The information on this blog and site is very useful, and to all subject area teachers trying to incorporate new technology into their lessons. The content is valid, up to date, focused on the topics mentioned, easy to navigate, and the information is written in an easy comprehensible manner.
Teacher Materials
Teachers Pay Teachers
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com
This teacher-created website contains over 160,000 free and priced teacher-created materials available for download. This includes but is not limited to lesson plans, unit plans, novel studies, and the like. You can also choose from several subject areas, technology included!
Criteria: A variety of subject and grade levels and activity types are available on this website. A majority of the materials are below $5--with many of the items free. Another bonus is that many of the items are available for instant download--making this website that much sweeter!